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Civil War Timeline
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Lincoln Elected President
President Abe Lincoln was elected the 16th President of America in the election of 1860. This eventually led to the Civil War because he wasn't allowing slavery to move any more West than it already was. -
Battle of Fort Sumter
By forcing Union soldiers to surrender, it gave the Confederates hope that they could actually win the war. The significance was that the Confederates were able to take over Fort Sumter after the Union had already occupied it. -
Lincoln orders blockeade of the South
Lincoln ordered soldiers to run and steal ships and soldiers supplies from the Gulf of Mexico. The Union commissioned 500 ships that destroyed and captured nearly 1500 blockade runners. -
1st Battle of Bull Run (Manassas)
It was the first major land battle in Virginia. Confederates were driven back to Henry Hill and the Union had another victory. -
Monitor Vs. Virginia
The battle is a draw between the two ships. The Monitor had caused more damage to the Virginia, however. The Monitor only suffered dents in it where as the Virginia had suffered cracks in its armor. -
Battle of Shiloh
Ulysses S. Grant led the Union army to Tennessee. The Confederates had planned to push the Union soldiers into the Tennessee River so it would be easier to for them to make the Union surrender. Unfortunatly for them, the plan did not work and it was a Union victory. -
7 Days Campaign
It consisted of multiple battles and is typically called "7 Days Battles". The battle was to rid the Richmond area of a large Union Force. -
Antietam
It stopped the Confederate advance to Maryland. That advance was a major fear for Washington D.C. The result of the battle was inconclusive and it remains the single bloodiest day in American History. -
Emancipation Proclamation Issued
It was a part of the president's constitutional authority of commander in cheif of the armed forces. This led to the 13th amendment. -
2nd Battle of Bull Run
This was the last win for Robert E. Lee's impresive string of wins. This was important because the Union soldiers were forced to retreat back to Washington. -
Emancipation Proclamation In Effect
This stated that all slaves in slave states would be let go and free forever. This however did not apply to the five slave states that were not fighting in the War. Congress didn't pass this law until January 1st, 1863. -
Battle at Chancellorsville
This battle was fought for 7 days and led to the Chancellorsville Campaign. The Confederates won the battle, but the Confederates maintained a huge loss for their army. They sustained 13,303 casualties. -
Battle of Gettysburg
Up until this battle, the South was actually winning. The North cut off the South's supply line and this was the start of the South's loses of the war. -
Siege of Vicksburg
This battle lasted months before it was decided that the Union army won. This victory gave the Union side the Mississippi River and this was the "highway" for traveling and imports. -
Gettysburg Address
This is one of the most notorious speeches given by Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War. It was significant because it "defined" the Civil War as a whole. -
Battle of Chattanooga
This battle gave the Union ability to advance South. One of the Confederacy's two major armies was routed. Chattanooga was Sherman's importing place. When the Union took over it, they gained hold of the imports. -
Ulysses S. Grant takes over the Union Army
Ulysses S. Grant began his military career as a cadet having enrolled in the West Point military academy at the age of 17 in 1839. After graduating from West Point in June, 1843 Grant went on to serve with distinction in the Mexican Civil War. -
Sherman Captures Atlanta
General Sherman and his forces had taken the "Deep South's" major manufacturing center and railroad hub. This was a big problem for the Confederacy. US forces went West and South of Atlanta and he cut off Confederate delivery lines. -
Abraham was Re-Elected
Abraham Lincoln was elected into a second term. With his re-election, any hope for a negotiated settlement with the Confederacy vanished. In 1864, Lincoln faced many challenges to his presidency. The war was now in its fourth year. -
Sherman's March to Sea
Sherman conducted the "Savannah Campaign" which led the Union from Atlanta to the port of Savannah, which they then captured. Along the way, the army destroyed many of the Confederacy's important things such as industry and civilian property. -
Savannah, GA Falls to Union
Gen. Sherman led an army to Savannah, GA. The army took over Savannah when the Confederates were surrounding the area, but fled due to the size of Sherman's army, -
13th Amendment Passed
The thirteenth amendment stated that slavery be abolished and punishment in that manner was a crime. It also states that "Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation." -
Union Army moves in and occupies Richmond, VA
The capital of Virginia was Richmond of the Confederate States of America during the War. The Union took over Richmond, even though the war was technically over. -
Robert E. Lee Surrenders
He surrendered to Union General Ullysses S. Grant. This ultimately ended the war. The two generals met and setteled on an agreement. It took a weeks before the country was completely back as a whole, but it eventually happened. -
Abraham Lincoln Shot and Killed
Lincoln was killed by well known actor John Wilkes Booth. He was the first President to be assassinated and it was a plan made to help the Confederates. It was obviously significant because he was the president and it caused a lot of panic.
